The Evolution of Lara

Lara Croft – Some may remember Angelina Jolie in the 2001 block buster, and some may remember the pixelated saviour in the best selling Playstation games.

Either way, this character made a huge impact as one of the first significant characters that was not only a female character, but a modern day heroine.

Sexuality and aggression go hand in hand. However in the most recent play off, her sexuality is lessened and her vulnerability is highlighted. She scraps and scratches her skin through near death escapes. Her witty one-liners are lessened to make room for exhibitions of fear with every shriek, cry and gasp. Her outfit is out of practicality and resourcefulness. Yet, her strength and spirit is never lost.

Rhianna Pratchett, lead writer of Rise of the Tomb Raider admits that previous Lara in the 00’s was perhaps sexualised more as a character to boost sales and numbers. Commenting on the essences of the latest Lara, saying:

“It’s still beautiful, it’s still strong, it’s still characterful, but it’s not sexualized in the way it was done before.” 

“A lot of the sexualization of Lara in the past has been solely for purposes of marketing, and it had a huge sway. As a young female gamer, I’ll admit that I was put off by that kind of marketing of Lara. It was very much like, ‘Hey I’m being sexy for boys here.’ I thought … I’ll go and play another game, then. That’s definitely something that’s very, very much in the past.”

Perhaps younger Lara may have been influenced by Post Feminist values, showing off her physique because of being a strong woman in a mostly male world, or as Pratchett confirms – to boost her popularity. However she was adamant on steering away from this type of approach in the new Tomb Raider:

“She’s strong, she’s capable, she’s empathetic, she’s intelligent. She’s all kind of things we think of as sexy in the real world. So it’s not like she’s not a sexy character, but she’s just not sexualized, which is the difference.”

From watching Lara Croft evolve, it is clear that marketing within the gaming community has made attempts to break away from patriarchal over sexualisation similar in other industries. A strong female lead, the modern day Lara is an idol for modern gamers. She is a perfect example of the strength in character, physique, will, determination and intelligence that regularly make her a modern hero as she outdoes her male counterparts.

 

 

 

 

Interview credit: venturebeat.com/2015/11/09/the-sexualization-of-lara-croft-is-a-thing-of-the-past-says-rise-of-the-tomb-raider-writer/